Re: USA Basketball: Who's To Blame?

Re: USA Basketball: Who's To Blame?

Anyone of those reasons is a good choice. I do think the world has caught up to us for the specific reason that American players don't have the skill they once had. Too much dunking, not enough pure shooting and a VERY low premium on defense.

I don't think laziness is as much a reason because for the most part, these guys wanted to play there, especially 'melo who practically begged to get on the team.

I wish they would go back to having college ballers, more interesting and more pure.

It's kind of interesting too because Americans seem to not care - if we win we're supposed to, if we lose it's an embarassment.

Re: USA Basketball: Who's To Blame?

I went with the players vs. a team idea, but from everything I have heard, there is more to it. I think the coaches that selected the team had something to do with it as they didn't fill the positions on the team, they just picked a bunch of big named players. No center and no shooting guard. Hard to win without a dominant big man and an outside threat...

Re: USA Basketball: Who's To Blame?

I believe it's most the fact that our players have been together for 1+ month and the rest of the teams have been together for years. Having said that, if the actual best american players in the NBA played, they would go unbeaten, IMO.

Re: USA Basketball: Who's To Blame?

I picked the players vs. the team, but I believe its more of the US basketball committee who picked this team. They did not pick a team that could be successful in the international game. And why can't there be tryouts? In the days of the college players tryouts were held. I say we go back to having tryouts and pick a team that fits the international game; even if it means that some of our best players are at home.